By Pastor Randall Floyd, Clayton Assembly of God Church in Clayton, NM
PR – most of you will recognize that abbreviation as “Public Relations”; defined as “the professional maintenance of a favorable public image by a company or other organization or a famous person”. It seems that in the last few decades the “Church” (speaking here of both local bodies and denominations) has become quite aware of just how important PR is. But have we gone too far in buying into the world’s system of PR? Perhaps. Perhaps not. The point of this article is not to debate the way in which some have decided to run their PR campaigns for their church. No, this article is to share with you some areas that I believe the church needs to be diligent in when it comes to their Godly “PR”.
Listed here are a few “PR’s” that I believe must be the hallmark of a body of people who call themselves a “church”. Each one is presented with a supporting passage of Scripture. I really do hope this will stir you onto great and mighty things in your walk with Christ.
1. PRaying – Praying should be the hallmark and defining character of every church. Without prayer, we’re lost – sunk with no hope. Ephesians 6:18 – “…praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit…”
2. PReaching – Paul said the preaching of the cross (and therefore the Gospel of Jesus Christ) was foolishness to some and a stumbling block to others. However, the modern church must not demote preaching to a little 10 minute pop-psychology lecture given as an afterthought on Sunday morning. 2 Timothy 4:2-3 – “Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage — with great patience and careful instruction.”
1 Corinthians 9:16-17 – “Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!”
3. PRophesying – While this is similar to preaching, it actually contains the element of warning and declaring God’s purposes rather than the teaching element found in much of today’s preaching. What is needed is a firm balance between this and solid biblical preaching. Ezekiel 38:14 – “Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say…: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says…”
4. PRofessing – Verbal admittance. Willingness to speak out and let people know what you believe. It’s time for the church (which is people, not buildings) to begin to let others know what we believe, without fear. We are called to profess our faith and our hope – the very things the world is looking for, and often times doesn’t realize it. Hebrews 4:14 – …let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. Hebrews 10:23-24 – Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.
5. PRaising – Psalms 150 – Praise the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens. 2 Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness. 3 Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre, 4 praise him with tambourine and dancing, praise him with the strings and flute, 5 praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with the sounding cymbals. 6 Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord.
6. PRovoking (to good works) – We all go through times when we have trouble doing the right thing. That’s why God placed us in “community” – so we could provoke (encourage) one another to keep on keeping on. Hebrews 10:24 (KJV) – And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works.
There are many more, I’m sure, but if the Church today would be a little more aware of these “PR’s”, we just MIGHT see the revival we claim we desire. Blessings to you as you work at being God’s PR agent in your area of ministry and influence.